Celebrity Picks

Today during March Madness week TGR gives you some Jewish sports “celebrity” picks. We have a sports radio host, two Jewish sports bloggers, a Latke cup MVP, Director of a Jewish sports organization, and of course one of last year’s NCAA tournament stars. Hope this helps inform your bracket. Tomorrow we will have the Jewish picks.

Ari Taff - Latke Cup MVP - Final 4: Ohio State in the East (Everyones favorite including Vegas making them a 7-2 winner for the tourney). In the West I have to go with my wildcats, I may be a bit bias because I atteneded UofA, but I know my wilcats are hungry after letting Isah Thomas and the Washington Huskies beat them in a nail biting over time game for the PAC 10 championship. In the Southwest I’m taking Rick Patino and his Louisville Cards. Not only cause we all love Rick Patino, but they had a solid win over Ucon on the road this year which shows a lot. Finally the Southeast Im going with Jimmer Ferdette “The best scorer in the world” according to Kevin Durrants Tweet after the win over SDSU Aztecs earlier this year. Ohio St.,Arizona, Louisville, BYU. In the end it will be a battle between Ohio State and Arizona with Ohio St. comming out on top in a 62-58 Victory. They are too big and too good. As far as upsets I like Justin Harper (This kid has to go to the NBA) for the 12 seed Richmond over 5 seed Vandy. Im sorry Pac 10, but I like 10 seed Mich St. Over what I feel is an overrated 7 UCLA.

David Lasday - Director of Bring it in Israel (www.bringitinisrael.com) - Final Four: Ohio St, Pitt, Kansas, and UConn. Final Ohio St. vs. Pitt. Winner: Pitt. On a side note, Bring It In - Israel was chosen as one of the causes for the 20th Annual Jewish Community March Madness tournament: http://bit.ly/JewishCommunityMarchMadness.

Jasmine Marcus - Sports Radio Host (Catch Jumpshots with Jasmine, that would be great. It airs on www.israelsportsradio.com every Tuesday morning from 11am-1pm EST!) - Final four: Ohio State, Kansas, SDSU, Pitt (Me and Jon picked separately, it’s just a coincidence we have the same final 4!). Final game; Ohio State vs. Kansas. Winner: Ohio State

Besides SDSU over Duke in the Elite 8, my other upsets aren’t so major: Marquette over Xavier, Oakland over Texas at the beginning and St. John’s in the elite 8.

Upsets: Utah State over Kansas State, Richmond over Vanderbilt, USC/VCU over Georgetown, Missouri over Cinncinati

Ravid Tilles - Sports Blogger (howaboutthemsports.wordpress.com) - Final 4: Pitt, Duke, Syracuse, Kansas. Final: Duke vs. Pitt. Winner: (I have to) Pitt. Upsets: BYU could very easily get knocked out in the first round. St. John’s in the elite 8. I can see Oakland over Texas (though I wouldn’t pick it).

Yuval Klein - Former TGR write (follow Yuval on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/yuvklein) - Final Four: Ohio State - Best team in the country. They got everything, inside and outside game, very balanced and very hard to stop. Texas - The final four cannot have all number one seed there so Texas will enjoy this myth and Jordan Hamilton will be unstoppable. Also the final four will take place in Houston and in the last two years the “home” team reached the final four. Kansas - They have an easier way compare to the other number one seed. I love the Morris twins and Thomas Robinson who comes from the bench can be the X-Factor. Kansas St. - Here is the biggest upset. Why? Because on a regular day Jacob Pullen is as good as any guard in college basketball. Prepare yourself for the Pullen Show.

The final: Ohio St against Kansas and the buckeyes will win with a three pointer by Jon Diebler at the buzzer.

And Let Us Say…Amen.

-Jeremy Fine
For more check out www.TheGreatRabbino.com

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